High Volume Healthcare as a Livable Environment

High Volume Healthcare
as a Livable Environment:
Strategies from the ED
Angela Mazzi, AIA, ACHA, EDAC
GBBN Architects
Jason Groneck, AIA
GBBN Architects
Jim Harrell, FAIA, FACHA, EDAC
GBBN Architects
Stephanie Shroyer
GBBN Architects
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Author bios
Angela Mazzi
Angela focuses on enhancing quality of life through built environmentsconnecting great design with user needs. She speaks about impacting
outcomes at venues including the 2013 AIA Ohio Valley Regional Conference, Design REALIZED’s 2014 webinar series, the 2014 AIA National
Convention, the 2014 AIA Ohio Convention and the 2014 Healthcare
Facilities Symposium. Angela Chairs the Advanced Education Networking
Committee for the American College of Healthcare Architects (ACHA),
serves on The Institute for Patient-Centered Design’s Advisory Committee,
was an Advisory Board member for Arizona State University’s Healthcare
Design Program during its initial years, and is part of AIA Cincinnati’s
VISION program.
Jim Harrell
Jim Harrell has been in practice for over fifty years as an architect/
designer and planner of healthcare and institutional facilities. His work
is nationally recognized for innovation in planning and design. He has
lectured to regional, national and international audiences on healthcare
design/planning issues and his writings on a variety of architectural
subjects are found in divergent publications. Many of his designs have
won local, regional and/or national awards for excellence and have been
published in regional and national press.
Jason Groneck
As a project manager, Jason successfully implements GBBN’s Guiding
Principles (Vision and Mission) by managing the research, planning, design
and construction administration for the multiple projects and teams he
serves. His experience ranges from small renovations to large developments incorporating process improvement and Lean techniques to the
Design Process. Jason’s strong leadership and collaborative nature has
led to trusted relationships with GBBN Architect’s leading Healthcare
clients, consultants, and project teams. In addition to Jason’s Project
Management role on Healthcare projects he is responsible for overseeing
the operations of GBBN’s Kentucky office.
Stephanie Shroyer
Stephanie Shroyer, an experienced interior designer, is among the first
to use Evidence-Based Design research for two Department of Defense
projects, (each over 1.2 million SF). Her teamwork to help research the
EBD Furniture Checklist, now mandatorily included in the DoD/MHS
World-Class Tool Kit, has given her exceptional insight into designing
“World-Class” healthcare facilities. Working with institutions like UC
Health, DoD Military Health Systems, and Cincinnati Children’s gives her
a profound understanding of the healthcare environment allowing her to
create patient centered interior spaces, which are operationally effectual
for the healthcare staff while promoting a healing environment for the
patient.
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Author Contact
Angela Mazzi, AIA, ACHA, EDAC
GBBN Architects
332 East Eighth Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-241-8700
[email protected]
Jim Harrell, FAIA, FACHA, EDAC
GBBN Architects
332 East Eighth Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-241-8700
[email protected]
Jason Groneck, AIA
GBBN Architects
609 W Main St
Louisville, KY 40202
502-583-0700
[email protected]
Stephanie Shroyer
GBBN Architects
332 East Eighth Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-241-8700
[email protected]
Abstract
High volume Emergency Departments can be chaotic environments that are
very stressful for patients, families and staff. There are several challenges
that such a department faces: reducing wait times, providing a supportive
and efficient work environment for staff, and maintaining a safe and secure
environment. This paper recommends evidence-based strategies to improve
the patient experience by promoting flow, quality of care, safety and security.
From the importance of the first encounter experience, to the habitability
of the waiting room and exam room, to ease of wayfinding; being able to
reduce the cognitive load for patients and families helps to reduce stress.
We share results of our map of the patient experience and tie it to several
measurable aspects of the built environment: amenities (including visual art),
acoustics, positive distraction and lighting. Devices such as plan nodes,
zoning, color, and artwork break down the scale of a large department so
patients and visitors can easily find their destinations. Finally, the importance
of nature based themes to reinforce the wayfinding and provide positive
distraction is explored.
Staff well-being translates directly to the patient experience, influencing
both quality and safety. We discuss ways to employ principles of Crime
Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and a “ribbon layout” - an
open and zoned central work core surrounded by a continuous array of exam
rooms- to maximize staff visibility for safety and security. A decentralized
and zoned network of supplies reduces steps so providers can channel their
energy into patient care. Streamlined flow is furthered by having exam rooms
that are essentially the same, permitting any case to be handled in any room,
with glass doors for patient visualization. Providing quality break and respite
areas and work cores that foster collaboration allows staff to function at a
higher level and reduces overall noise.
Five keywords:
High Volume, Wayfinding, Emergency Department, Patient Experience, Flow
Category:
Environment
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Introduction
Many emergency departments have catapulted into the high volume range
in recent years, but are still operating out of spaces designed to accommodate far fewer patients1. These space constraints result in low performing
departments that compromise safety and satisfaction for patients and
staff. Adding more space is not the solution, as there can be unintended
consequences that arise when a department becomes too large and
unwieldy. High volume healthcare environments do not have to be high
stress ones. Design strategies break down the scale of operation creating
optimal space for staff and patients alike2. In this paper, we explore a
process of tying delivery of care to operational models to develop a built
environment that makes the patient experience the basis of design.
The first aspect of the patient experience that we focused on is efficiency
and flow. Design that supports operations is important to any type of
facility, but its importance is magnified in a high volume environment.
Every inefficiency requires much more effort to overcome with greater
opportunity for errors and injuries. Designing for high performance is critical to accommodating the anticipated volumes3. Attention to more subtle
psychological needs, like orientation, scale and appropriate complexity,
impacts stress levels for patients, families and staff. We explore the environment/behavior link and recommend stress reduction strategies, which
can lead to decreases in behaviors, pain, injuries or errors.
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1. (Siegler, Price, Pietsch,
Mackey, & Mathy, 2008)
2. (Bentley & Koppenheffer,
2007)
3. (Siegler, Price, Pietsch,
Mackey, & Mathy, 2008)
Improving Efficiency and Flow
Optimizing efficiency and flow involves several areas; patient arrival,
triage, treatment and discharge. While commonly understood as distinct
spaces, we propose they be viewed instead as functions that can occur in
multiple locations. Eyeball triage, the process of having a nurse stationed
within sight of the entry, keeps patients moving through the system; but
the common solution of a podium or counter is insufficient to properly
assess patients or protect their privacy. We recommend an “external
exam room” (Fig. 1) within the waiting area to provide the proper area and
seclusion to this function. A high volume environment demands a triage
suite; several rooms with work areas for a mid-level physician, registrar,
nurse and lab tech and mobile imaging. At least one room should accommodate EKG testing. Adjacent to this space, a separate waiting area for
fast track patients facilitates the process of “treat and street” for minor
health issues. Within the exam room area, universal rooms zoned by
acuity provide the most flexibility. Embedding key processes such as lab
and imaging and keeping them staffed further expedites diagnosis and
treatment.
Figure 1:
The room without walls concept at the first encounter desk
keeps the cue from forming near triage/checkin activities.
Decentralization is a key patient-centered design strategy: it brings
services to the patient, resulting in less need to move around. Decentralization breaks down the scale of the department allowing staff, equipment,
and supplies to be proximal to the site of care; reducing treatment time
and noise. This cultivates greater staff satisfaction, contributing to a
more positive attitude and greater level of patient satisfaction, defined
as when the patient’s own expectations for treatment and care are met
or exceeded4. Starting in 1984, we began planning that focusses on
patient visibility and staff efficiency by arraying exam rooms around an
interdisciplinary team center. We have dubbed this notion the Ribbon ED
and it resolves several issues important in emergency care: visualization
for patient safety, efficient staffing, and efficient access to supplies. A
description of the impact of the Ribbon ED of these factors follows.
4. (Trout, Magnusson, &
Hedges, 2000)
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Optimal patient visualization for Patient Safety
The radial layout maximizes visibility into patient rooms through the
absence of corners and continuous array of rooms. When Emergency
Department providers are asked to name the most important aspect of
the environment in which they work, a common answer is safety through
visualization. The preferred arrangement is to have patients arrayed in
circular – or radial - fashion with the care team at the center5. (Fig. 2) This
maximizes visualization between patients and providers, but there is a
practical limit to the size of the arc. In an ED when the arc is greater than
eight or nine rooms, the core becomes too big for the required functions
and, therefore, inefficient. To avoid compartmentalizing the ED with
multiple pods, the Ribbon concept joins the arcs together into a continuous curving line or “Ribbon” 6.
5. (Harrell, Emergency Department Planning, 2007)
6. (Harrell & Mazzi, Evolution
of the ED, 2012)
Figure 2:
With a radial layout, visualization is maximized
More efficient use of staff
In linear or pod arrangements, a complete set of staff is required when
a new care zone is opened, even if only one patient occupies this zone.
The ribbon’s enhanced visibility and continuous results in fewer FTE’s
needed to staff partially occupied zones7. ED design is driven by looking
at the maximum volume to be expected. However, for a significant part
of each day, the number of patients presenting are but a fraction of the
peak. During these periods – generally between 11:00PM and 8:00AM
– staffing is at a minimum. In this configuration, when that “next” patient
comes in during the very early morning, additional staff are not required
since this patient can easily been seen and managed by the standard
night shift.
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7. (Bentley & Koppenheffer,
2007)
Flexibility
Flexibility is needed in times when peak volumes are exceeded due to
unusual circumstances. The optimal design will support these surges with
minimum disarray and confusion. Accommodation for surges in patient
volume are inherent in the Ribbon design as most rooms are trapezoidal
shaped. With wider headwalls and duplicative gas and electrical devices,
these rooms are proven to allow the placement of a second bed therein,
keeping the overflow out of hallways.
Efficient equipment and supply stocking
Reducing walking distances for nurses improves patient care8. In the
ED quick access to supplies is essential. This is best accomplished by
decentralizing supplies9 so that no more than a few steps are necessary to
retrieve material not kept at the bedside. The Ribbon ED concept features
three tiers of supplies: Tier 1 located is in an exchange cart within each
exam room, Tier 2, shown in Figure 3, is located along the ribbon to allow
all needed supplies to be replicated in close proximity for quick retrieval,
and Tier 3, a large supply room used for restocking Tier 1 and 2. Tier 3 is
located at a border of the ED to be easily accessible by material management staff. Carts are most often the choice for storing supplies, especially
Tier 2, as they can be moved to wherever most needed. A work surface
also follows the perimeter, providing space for many people to work and
collaborate while being able to observe patients in their rooms (Figure
4). This system keeps materials management staff to the department
periphery instead of having to enter the department to restock10.
8,9. (Ulrich, Quan, Zimring,
Joseph, Chaoudhary, 2004)
10. (Harrell, Emergency Department Planning, 2007)
(Harrell & Mazzi, Evolution
of the ED, 2012)
Figure 3:
A view of the cart system used for decentralizing supplies
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The Environment/Behavior Link
Cognitive fatigue, a condition which occurs in people under stress,
affects their ability to process information, alters the patient’s ability to
easily navigate the department, find destinations or understand placement within the spatial context11. This inability to create a cognitive
map generates additional stress, amplifying patient and family member
tension and anxiety. Design can combat this by supporting a clear sense
of place within the department, even one with multiple, complex destinations - a very large space broken down into few easily understandable
(and locatable) components. Within each component, there may be
greater complexity, but spaces are easily understood in the context of
the larger department. According to Cohen, et. al, (2007) psychological
stress is defined as situations that tax or exceed an individual’s ability to
adapt to them. This in turn causes feelings of anxiety and depression. In
contrast, providing an environment that alleviates stress creates positive
physiological change12. Behavioral cueing is one means of supporting the
development of a clear, cognitive map.
By differentiating spaces, a sense of place and destination (toilets, exam
room, exits) along a path is established. Clinically, spaces like a triage or
exam room seem easy to differentiate, but they become a confusing blur in
the mind of a patient or family member. The experiential journey through
the Emergency Department is reinforced by color and artwork. A soothing
palette is appropriate for the entry/waiting area. In clinical spaces, a warm
neutral base palette provides a welcoming crisp, clean backdrop for zoned
colorful accents that distinguish major destinations and acuity zones. All
of these provide an emotional context that can help enhance the patient
experience13.
11. (Persson, 2006)
12. (Cohen, 2007)
13. (Russ, et al., 2013)
In a high volume setting, patients may arrive simultaneously, compromising
patient privacy at the first encounter desk. If a patient is uncomfortable
giving details of their complaint, they risk being misdiagnosed. To keep
queues from forming too close to the desk where health information is
discussed, we have experimented with creating a room without walls so
the triage nurse can move beyond the desk creating a personal and more
comprehensive first encounter. Architectural clues in the flooring pattern
and ceiling planes along with semi-transparent screens, create privacy
boundaries that beyond those typically available at such desks, providing
the appropriate perception of personal space needed for engaged care.
A patient’s journey has many key decision points plus twist and turns,
figuratively and literally. Appointing key decision points with color and
artwork reinforces the cognitive map. In the public realm, colorful, naturebased artwork featuring local landscapes provide the waiting patient with
a virtual escape, the feeling of bringing the comforts of home along with
them. The Center for Health Design Research on the Impact of visual art
on waiting behavior in the Emergency Department concluded that visual
intervention improves the waiting experience14. Along with visual clues,
waypoints along the journey strengthen the cognitive map, emphasizing
destinations like fast track waiting, family sub-waiting zones, toilet rooms,
and results waiting rooms. With perceived wait time a powerful component of patient satisfaction, it is critical that the time a patient does spend
waiting be as pleasant and restorative as possible15.
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14,15. (Nanda, 2011)
Figure 4:
Caregiver Zone
Patient Zone
Family Zone
Access to Supplies
Radial Line of Sight
from Nurse Core
The Ribbon concept showing supply distribution and optimized visualization
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Employing “Biophilic Design” concepts reduces stress through strategies
such as incorporating images of nature, using analogous color schemes
found in nature, more organic planning, and natural materials. Simple
visual intervention in the form of nature-based still art has been proven
to improve the patient experience, and something that we recommend
using as the basis for the wayfinding efforts. As Figure 5 shows, the
patient room can be transformed into a calm, peaceful retreat by using
natural colors and only black and white artwork. Layering cues such as
color and art themes and organizing by zones reduces an array of rooms
down to easily understood clusters, providing clear wayfinding and aiding
the staff in designating acuity levels on a particular day. An accent color
in the flooring can create a pattern to distinguish the zone and also draw
attention to the exam room sink, increasing hand washing. Using color
and artwork with meaning and purpose provides a backdrop that allows
the patient to experience the Emergency Department with familiarity and
begin healing16.
16. (Terrapin Bright Green,
2012)
Figure 5:
WAYFINIDING ZONED BY COLOR AND IMAGE
BLUE + FLOWERING DOGWOOD
NATIVE TREES OF KY |
FLOWERING DOGWOOD
Flowering DogwooD - Cornus
DogwooD Family (CornaCeae)
Flowering
FloriDa
DogwooD is reCognizeD by most people For its spring Floral
Display that Can be white or pink.
the
showy part is aCtually a leaF-
like braCt unDer the tiny Flowers. it is a Common unDerstory tree in
wooDeD areas throughout the state.
warren County
Cornus
anD is about
the kentuCky
35 Feet tall.
Champion tree is in
FloriDa has been proven to prevent the spreaD oF malaria.
their
bark is riCh in tannin anD has been useD as a substitute For quinine.
During
the Civil war ConFeDerate solDiers woulD make a tea From the
bark to treat pain anD Fevers, anD DogwooD leaves in a poultiCe to
Cover wounDs
HEADWALL POSITIVE DISTRACTION...
In the patient zone, the super-graphic artwork
is black and white to ease the visual clutter,
and enhance and strengthen the colorful accent color that designates the acuity zone.
Local tree species native to the state in
which the project resides was the basis for
the artwork in the patient zone, providing a
comfortable sense of the familiar.
Not only does the native state trees provide
familiar surroundings while being easily
recognizable they were chosen for their
known medicinal values providing a deeper
sense of well-being.
Behavioral cues enforced through biophilic elements in an exam room
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FLOORING PATTERN with PURPOSE...
the floor pattern not only defines acuity zones
and helps with wayfinding using pattern and
color.
The floor pattern highlights the sink to remind
the caregiver to wash their hands.
“Regular hand-washing, particularly before and after
certain activities, is one of the best ways to remove
germs, avoid getting sick, and prevent the spread of
germs to others.”
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Supportive Work Environments
Staff well-being translates directly to the patient experience, influencing
quality and safety. According to a 1988 paper by Leon Phipps, major
sources of stress for clinicians are time pressure, critical decisions,
provider-patient dissonance, patient stress, and professional relations17.
Because of the uniquely high stress level of the ED, we recommend the
following specific measures to help reduce that stress:
17. (Phipps, 1988)
1. Unified interdisciplinary team center that allows
staff to work more collaboratively and provide
additional assistance when required
2. Glass wall around the team center to contain
noise and to bridle access thereto.
3. Respite area within the work core to relive stress
or have a quick refreshment while on duty
4. A true back of house space for break room,
locker room, offices and conferencing that is
immediately adjacent to the treatment area but
separated by security doors.
5. Views to the outside
A Different VisionImplementing the recommendations in this paper
involves also employing strategies to involve stakeholders (staff and caregivers) and gathering information in support of their needs. The challenge
for design teams is to get stakeholders to think about how they could do
their jobs better and gather data that enhances the designer awareness of
the implicit culture within their work environment.
Stakeholders
In order for a new design to be effective, a process that examines caregiving behavior is critical to understanding which processes to preserve
and/or improve. Easing the transition to a new way of working starts early
in the process by involving key stakeholders. Allowing them to have a
voice and opinion in the process yields a sense of ownership and pride. We
recommend several process improvement strategies be put in place help
owners and users groups think beyond the way they work today to how
they could work at their fullest potential.
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Design can support a patient centered philosophy, but the strategies
require adoption at every level to operate as intended. Operational
exploration with a diverse group of stakeholder representatives carefully
selected by Hospital leadership includes identifying issues related to
the project, which become the basis of the Project Goals and Objectives
document and the Project’s Mission Statement. In the case of the ED,
the stakeholders could be identified as ED staff, security, lab, materials
management, housekeeping, and the local EVS service(s) in addition to
high level administration from Facilities management and the C-Suite.
Designers must facilitate stakeholder activities through a process of
formal orientation (organizing steering members and stating desired
outcomes), followed by learning (education through observation and
research), and finally developing the ideal state (project vision). One of the
biggest challenges to achieving a higher level of efficiency is compliance
on the part of staff to trust a new environment and care model. Busy staff
members can revert to the familiar process they know, bypassing the
carefully researched innovations and amenities of the design. Because
work process is such a key component of the patient experience in a high
volume care setting, minimizing stress for staff is also key.
Information gathering
A research process that includes observations, surveys and interviews,
and value stream mapping reveals the culture of the space, as well as
operational issues which have been so completely integrated as to make
the user groups unaware of them. Facilitating a dialogue with stakeholders
is key to gaining perspective on operational decisions and behavior and
facilitate meaningful innovations.
Patient profiling is a qualitative exercise whereby staff can focus more
abstractly on how to best deliver care or address situations that may
arise independent of space. The result is a series of actions that can then
be used to inform the design. Using mind mapping techniques, we take
Lean processes to another level by getting our stakeholders to envision
what the desired experience of being in this new environment would be
for patients, families and staff. Armed with this data, we can then look
at external research, through benchmarking, case studies, and look at
psychological and social research, including Crime Prevention Through
Environmental Design (CPTED) principles.
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Conclusion
What have we learned? Certain elements are crucial in high volume
environments: flow, security, quality and safety. The high volume environment can be a very large space that must still feel intimate and localized
in order to support wayfinding and staff visibility, and control factors such
as noise. Strategies, including developing pods to break down the scale
actually impede safety and visibility. Instead, decentralization is key to
keeping staff in work zones, where their work load is manageable.
Features that make a difference in creating a positive patient experience
in a high volume environment are:
Development of a centrally located interdisciplinary
team center that emphasizes collaboration
Layout of exam rooms around the team center to
maximize visualization
Decentralized supplies for quick and easy access
Zoning patients by acuity and volume
Positive distractions in exam rooms to help soothe
patients and relieve stress
A dedicated grieving/consult room outside of the
treatment areas
Glass doors on exam rooms for visualization and
acoustical privacy
No built in casework in exam rooms to provide
maximum flexibility
Creating visual “landmarks” through lighting, color
and floor patterns to provide visual cueing that will
support wayfinding.
A simple visual intervention, like still and video art,
can improve the patient waiting experience in the
Emergency Department
A simple visual intervention, like still and video art,
can improve the patient waiting experience in the
Emergency Department
Managing the environment of a high volume department through these
design strategies improves not only the patient experience but the environment of care. Involving stakeholders leads to meaningful change that
will be followed though operationally, resulting in a more supportive and
healing environment.
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References
Bentley, F., & Koppenheffer, M. (2007). Emergency Department Investment Blueprint: Strategic Forecaset and Capital Planning Guidance.
Washington, DC: The Advisory Board Company.
Cohen, S. D.-D. (2007, October 30). Phsychological Stress and Disease.
Journal of the American Medical Association, pp. 1685-1687.
Harrell, J. (2007). Emergency Department Planning.
Harrell, J., & Mazzi, A. (2012). Evolution of the ED. AAH Academy Journal,
v.15.
Nanda, U. (2011). Impact of Visual Art of Waiting Behaivior in the
emergency Department. Concord, CA: The Center for Health Design.
Persson, J. K.-L. (2006). Cognitive fatigue of executive processes:
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1571-1579.
Phipps, L. (1988). Stress among doctors and nurses in the emergency
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375-376.
Russ, L., Philllips, J., Brzozowicz, K., Chaftez, L., Plsek, P., & Kaplan, C. B.
(2013). Experience-based design for integrating the patient care
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Siegler, A., Price, G., Pietsch, R., Mackey, E., & Mathy, K. (2008). The High
Performance ED. Washington, DC: The Advisory Board Company.
Terrapin Bright Green. (2012). The Economics of Biophilia. New York:
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Trout, A., Magnusson, A., & Hedges, J. (2000). Patient Satisfaction Investigations and the Emergency Department: What Does the Literature Say?
Academic Emergency Medicine, 695-709.
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Angela Mazzi, AIA, ACHA, EDAC
GBBN Architects
Jason Groneck, AIA
GBBN Architects
Jim Harrell, FAIA, FACHA, EDAC
GBBN Architects
Stephanie Shroyer
GBBN Architects